LIMA
Lima is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is the main point on entry for tourists to come and explore this magnificent country. Situated on the coast it has a mild climate despite being in the tropics and a thriving traveller scene. It is a city to investigate for a few days or use as a rest spot if you are travelling up the country.
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getting there
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There are no direct flights from the UK to Lima although most have only one stop and are not too expensive. We flew from the Seatle in the Pacific NW with two layovers. If you want to fly direct then flying into Colombia, Argentina or Chile are good options but internal flights in South America are not conducive to a backpacker budget like you may be used to in SE Asia.
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Cruz Del Sur offer a cross border service from Guayaquil, Ecuador which takes 27 hours and prices start from 400 soles (£85) it has 3 stops including Tumbes, Mancora and Trujillo.
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By Bus |
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From Ecuador | You can cross the border at three locations; Aguas Verdes, La Tina and La Balsa. If you cross at Aguas Verdes you can travel along the coast stopping at the beach town of Mancora and from Mancora there is a bus with either Cruz Del Sur, Superciva or just Civa which takes around 21 hours to get to Lima and prices start from £20. If you want you can make the most of the North and slowly make your way down passing through Trujillo and Huaraz which has some great hiking. La Tina will take you through the mountains and La Balsa will take you through the jungle.
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From Bolivia | You can get a bus from La Paz to cross the border at Desaguardo and on to Lima which takes around 28 hours. You can book this with Vicuna travel, Trans Titicaca and Trans Litoral with prices starting at £65. An alternative is to use Peru Hop from La Paz to Lima which is the company we used for all our travel within Peru - see our Peru Hop guide.
Our hostel had arranged a pickup from the airport but if you haven’t got anything arranged then as soon as you walk outside you are confronted by numerous taxi drivers touting for business. Just be mindful of being scammed - and check out our Safety Guide. Always agree the price before getting into the car. It’s good to ask your hostel how much a taxi should be so you know whether to negotiate or not.
Legitimate taxis in Peru should display a license that is visible for you to see in the windscreen, they are yellow or white vehicles. The licence number should be written on the side of the taxi and also on the inside door panels and it should have a taxi sign on the top of the car as well as an orange number plate.
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To Stay
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Miraflores and Barranco are the most popular places to stay in Lima for travellers with lots of hostels and hotels to choose from. They are slightly more upmarket districts than the rest of the city and it’s safe to walk around at night but still stick to the basic safety advice and don't give them Papaya which is a local saying for how to stay safe.
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Kaccla Healing Dog | We stayed at the Kaccla Healing Dog Hostel in Miraflores for two nights and yes there is a dog, a very timid dog that barks quite a lot! It has a nice courtyard in the middle with rooms surrounding, comfy sofas and a front yard. We’ve found on our travels that in South America as a couple it is normally cheaper to get a private room than two dorm beds so that’s what we opted for. The hostel was close to the bars and restaurants and staff spoke fairly good English. Breakfast wasn’t included but you could add it on for 15 Soles each. As breakfasts go in South America it was excellent and we got; Andean bread with some sweet dips, a coffee, a smoothie and a bowl of yoghurt with fruit and granola. Price £24 a night.
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To do
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With our time limited in Lima we didn’t do many activities but one thing we always do when we get to a new place is a walking tour.
Take a 'Free' Walking tour
Walking tours are normally free, though rely on tips - and a great way to get to know the area you are staying in, the best places to eat and drink and the history and culture. The South Americans also love talking about their countries politics. We used Free Walking Tours Peru, they picked us up from our hostel and took us to the centre of Lima via the metro (cost not included) split us into Spanish and English groups and then showed us around the historical part of the City ending with Pisco tasting. It lasts around 3 hours and we thought our guide was brilliant.
Explore Miraflores & Barranco
You can take a stroll through one of the many parks in Miraflores or walk along Miraflores boardwalk to Barranco and explore the shopping centre along the way which actually has some smart shops and cafes. It’s built into the cliffs like a Bond villians hideout and give impressive views from the coast. It was cloudy when we were there but that didn’t seem to deter surfers from getting into the water. So if surfing is your thing then head down to the beach.
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To Eat & Drink
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Pisco | Pisco is the national drink of Peru. It’s a colourless or yellowish coloured brandy made by distilling fermented grape juice into the spirit. You will see a Pisco Sour on every menu which is a cocktail of Pisco, lemon juice, sugar syrup and egg white. Don’t let the egg white put you off it’s refreshing, sweet and sour and usually very affordable.
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NEXT STOP
Paracas is a town located on Peru's West coast. Known for its beaches and sunshine it is a popular holiday destination for Peruvians. There is a lot going on for such a small town, the front is lined with bars and restaurants for you to choose from and the harbour is bustling with fishermen and tour operators.